September Newsletter.

Dear Friends,

Please find the reminder and invitation to our monthly FEEL meeting, taking place as usual on the 3rd Monday 6.30-8.30pm, the 19th of September at LARC 62, Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel E1 1JS

There's two birthdays to celebrate this month and in two months FEEL itself counts FOUR years of activity!!! Time to celebrate our achievements.

We might have not changed much in the stiff, ultra-branded MH system that blood-feeds on the loonies, but hopefully some people might have seen some light at the end of their tunnel and started questioning their actual health, the care they receive and the quality of life that is rewarded as high fidelity members of the 'special club' of the insane.

Might collective and unconditional research bring effective solutions to good mental health and defeat the money making interests of big-pharma and the likes that have been reigning in the system for far too long

Some more info and dates for your diaries to follow.

Thank you for reading.

Best wishes,
FEEL Team


*****************************

Saturday the 3rd of September, today...
It's time to celebrate The Liberty Festival, an annual event that praise the contribution of disabled people in London's culture - is held at London's Southbank Centre and National Theatre. Follow the link

CoolTan Arts’will be offering guided Largactyl Shuffle walks (45 minutes each) across the Southbank site, explore the psycho-geography of the Southbank and find out more about access for disabled people within built architectural spaces of the 1950s. In conjunction with the Liberty Festival and the 60th Anniversary celebrations of the Festival of Britain, we will look back at the treatment of people experiencing mental distress in the 1950s, when the anti-psychotic drug Largactil (Chlorpromazine) was invented, contrasting the 1950s to the present day.
Join this exciting walk, explore the inside and outside of the Southbank site, including the Royal Festival Hall, Hayward Gallery and National Theatre, and discover the history of disability and mental health through the Largactyl Shuffle. Look out for bright orange CoolTan Arts’ balloons. If you can’t find the walkers,
please call CoolTan on 0798 565 8443.

*****************************
Monday the 5th of September Friends of St Clements are meeting for the monthly meeting at Mile End Hospital, mental health unit, ask at the reception for directions. Starts at 4.30pm. A promising agenda for an interesting meeting including the proposal for the sensory room in the hospital premises.

*****************************

Professor Harrington is calling for evidence in order to complete his second review of the WCA. This is particularly important to us as this year he will be reviewing parts of the test that are relevant to people claiming ESA on mental health grounds. The MHRN will want to submit evidence so please send us your views and experience of the WCA. The deadline for this evidence is 16 September 2011, so we have plenty
of time but we want it to be as thorough as possible. Mail mentalhealthresistancenetwork@gmail.com

Those of you interested in blood being spilt from Atos may like this.The General Medical Council is investigating 12 Atos docs for malpractice in benefits assessments. Article on The Guardian

*****************************

Hi everyone,
I'm trying to let as many people as possible know about the 2 national protests both of which will now be led by TUC at Lib Dem and Tory party conferences.

-Lib Dems Birmingham September 18th

-Tory party Manchester October 2nd. 

We want to try to make these as big as possible. As TUC haven't quite got their leaflets up and running please find attached  the one we're currently using. Details of transport are at www.righttowork.org.uk. We're currently asking TUC about providing accessible transport.

Please can you pass this information onto anyone else you know who may be able to come.

Linda, DPAC Ph. 01926 842253

*****************************

The kissit! XX Campaign against psychiatric assault.
The 'kissit! XX Campaign' was an active force in challenging abuse in the mental health system. It now exists as a permanent website archive. Aidan Shingler, one of the major movers behind this campaign, now
undertakes campaign  work through writing, art work and performance. An eight-part film he produced, 'Exposing psychiatry - Only Smarties have the Answer', which highlights the issue of psychiatric assault through puppetry and barbed humor, is available on YouTube. Links to each part of this film are available here

*****************************

In a few days your MP has to vote on the biggest proposed changes to our NHS since 1948. keep the pressure on http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/speakout/email-your-mp-now

*****************************

Volunteer Centre Camden (VCC) is looking for befrienders to meet with isolated Camden residents with mental health issues. VCC particularly welcomes people with personal experience of mental health issues. You will be matched with one person, meeting up weekly for a couple of hours over a 6-month period. You will decide together what activities to do; perhaps you could go for a bike ride, have a coffee, go for a walk and much more. Some people may just need the company at home. Training workshops take place in September and you will receive supervision once you are matched. If you would like to know more, please contact Diana
Young at Volunteer Centre Camden on 020 7424 9990 or email Diana@volunteercentrecamden.org.uk

*****************************


A really exciting special edition of Asylum is about to go to the printers. Subscribe now to make sure you get your copy. If you are in the UK a year’s subscription (4 editions) costs just £15.00 including postage and packing so this magazine is really great value and a must for anyone interested in challenging traditional ideas in mental health. More details here Phone: +44 (0)1989 763 900 or Email: contact@pccs-books.co.uk  to order your copy now. Minimum order (£7.00)


*****************************
The Guardian 27th august 2011: Rehabilitating RD Laing (article here) He's been unfashionable for decades, but in an era of big-pharma and proliferating diagnoses, is it time to reassess?

*****************************

Critical Perspectives on User Involvement

 
Critical Perspectives on User Involvement, edited by Marian Barnes and Phil Cotterell, is due to be published by Policy Press of Bristol in November 2011. Sarah Yiannoullou (NSUN) and Stephanie McKinley (SLaM)  take a critical look at "current models of service user involvement and their impact on well-being and recovery".

The full price of the paperback version will be £26.99, but online discounts will be available and we hope to get copies to at cheaper rates to sell to NSUN members.
PB £26.99 ISBN 978 1 84742 750 2 HB £65.00 ISBN 978 1 84742 751 9
20% discount available at Policy Press £21.59.

*****************************

The next two London meetings of the Survivors History Group will be from 1pm to 4.30 pm on Wednesday 28.9.2011 and Wednesday 30.11.2011 at the Together office, 12 Old Street, London, EC1V 9BE. Everybody is welcome. Food is provided.


*****************************

NEXT FEEL MONTHLY MEETING DATES
Meet at LARC 62, Fieldgate st, Whitechapel 6,30-8.30pm

MON 19th SEPTEMBER

MON 17th OCTOBER
MON 21st NOVEMBER
MON 19th DECEMBER